Elizabeth, the gal at the counter, gives me the menu. “San Diego’s stuffed burger and taco joint,” it says.

Basically we’re talking burgers, tacos and salads.

“The funny thing is that mostly it’s the Anglos asking for the tacos and the Mexicans who ask for the burgers,” says the other guy here, Jason.

Jason, Elizabeth

Me, even though the tacos are like $2.50 and the burgers are around $10, I can’t resist the idea of a stuffed burger. Is this new or what? It is for me. They have everything from “El Diablo,” stuffed with jalapeño, spiced Monterey Jack and bacon ($10) to the Black and Bleu (blackened spiced burger patty stuffed with blue cheese, caramelized onions, and mushrooms, $10).

So kinda like Burger Lounge prices, except here you get your fries included, not as extras.

But I go for my first love, the surf and turf ($10). Then I decide to order up and Black and Bleu to take back to the beautiful Carla at the ranch.

Man, with this sun streaming through the open sides, I could go for a sunset beer. But alas, Jason says they’ve applied for a wine and beer license but it’s probably a couple of months away.

So five minutes, and out comes da steaming boiger.

Oh, now I get it. The middle of the meat patty is actually stuffed with the shrimp. Co-ool. And the garlicky shrimp taste really comes through. It's a mess. A beautiful mess. Creamy, herby, sweet, sour, and those marinated onions add their slick sweetness.

Mark the chef created all the stuffed burger recipes

Except I can't help wondering what I'm missing from the to-go package of the Black and Bleu...

Post report: I think Carla got the best deal. My surf and turf was good, but in a delicate way. Her black and bleu really socked it to ya with a rich, deep sweet’n sour thing, from the one bite I got.

“Rich,” she says. “Too rich.”

Dang. No way too rich for me. Wish I’d swapped the burgers when I could.

Comments

Urban Chicken was cool, but this place is way more rad. The burgers can be super good.

That guy Mark was at Cafe Delano, the tapas place in Hillcrest that was open for all of two weeks before shuttering and remaining under construction ad infinitum. Guess the kitchen staff must have bailed.

Boy, what I don't know. Actually my first thought was that the stuffings need to be pretty danged tangy to not get their flavors drowned in all that meat. But it seemed like these guys were going where no burger joint had gawn B4. So eyeballs out for Café Minnesota and Juicy Loosey...